As more art institutions outsource exhibits to the crowd, is it time to rethink the role of the museum?

This winter, the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History will feature an exhibit of works relating to the ocean, with paintings and sculptures by established artists alongside works by local residents. According to a call for submissions, that includes not just watercolors of Pacific sunsets, but “that awesome GoPro footage you took while surfing” and “your two-year-old’s drawing of the beach that’s been on the fridge for five months.”

Not an art expert? Not a problem. Museums are increasingly outsourcing the curation of...

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Museums increasingly turn their galleries over to the public and celebrities. WSJ's Ellen Gamerman reports on Lunch Break with Tanya Rivero. Photo: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston